The Italian name of this dish
usually refers to lasagna from Emilia-Romagna,
Lombardy or the Piedmont that combines meat ragù and Béchamel sauce and topped with
bread crumbs that are baked golden. Some
cooks add chopped chicken giblets to the sauce.
In Umbria, they make a similar lasagne with prosciutto, fresh porcini
mushrooms, and fresh white truffles added to the sauce. Pasticciate means something like
all a mess or messed up, the idea being that the assembly of this lasagna
contains a variety of ingredients and is “all messed up.”

3. Soak the dried mushrooms in
warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, chop,
and set aside. In a butter warmer, melt
4 tablespoons of butter with the sage and garlic.

4. In a bowl, knead together the
ground beef, egg, salt and pepper. Form
the meat into small balls the size of a walnut.
Place the meatballs in a lightly oiled skillet and cook over medium heat
until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Remove and set aside.

5. In a large skillet, melt the
remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, then cook the ham and
mushrooms until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the meatballs and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and when it has reduced
significantly, about 4 minutes, pour in the beef broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, for 30 minutes. Mix this sauce into the Béchamel sauce. If the sauce is too liquid, reduce over
medium-high heat, stirring frequently for 8 minutes.

6. Bring a large pot of water to
a rolling boil. Salt abundantly and drop
the pasta in gradually. Drain the
lasagne when less than half-cooked and transfer to a pot of cold water until
needed so they don’t stick together. (Skip
this step if using fresh homemade lasagne or instant no-boil lasagne).

7. Preheat the oven to 400
degrees F.

8. Remove the garlic and sage
from the melted butter and discard them; use ¼ of the butter to coat the bottom
of a 12 x 9 x 2-inch (approximately) baking casserole. Cover the bottom with a layer of lasagna,
then a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, and finally sauce. Continue in this order, finishing with
sauce. Cover the sauce with the
breadcrumbs and drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until the breadcrumb
topping begins to turn a dark brown.

Variation:

Note:
You can save some of the mushroom soaking liquid to add to the sauce if you like.

There are so many interesting flavors and combinations here [in Mediterranean Vegetables]. Having had the honor of eating some of these dishes cooked by Cliff’s own hand, I know how good they really are. I can’t wait to cook them myself. - Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and The Greens Cookbook

"Grill Italian hooks the cook in the introduction. Who would not want to light the grill after reading the author's description of an alfresco dinner in Sicily ? The recipes are generally on the simple side, relying on the fresh ingredients and herbs for flavor rather than on heavy marinades and bastings. I love the frequent trick of alternating items on skewers with cubes of oil-soaked bread or that of sprinkling on bread crumbs to add texture ? Sausages, onions and oranges skewered together offer a delightful change of pace."- Florence Fabricant, New York Times